Products susceptible to spoilage, such as processed foods, nuts and sliced fruits and vegetables, are often placed in hermetically sealed packaging which has been flushed with an inert gas, such as nitrogen or argon, to achieve an oxygen concentration within the packaging of less than about 3% and thereby prolong the shelf-life of the product. Such packaging is commonly known as controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).
Insufficient flushing and leaks in the packaging can significantly reduce the anticipated shelf life, resulting in undesired spoilage. Hence, production involving CAP/MAP typically includes periodic testing of the gaseous content of the packaging to measure the oxygen level in the packaging and/or detect the presence of any leaks in the packaging in an effort to guide changes or adjustments in the production process (e.g., increase or decrease the flow of N2 into the fill and seal area of the packaging process) and/or aid in determining the shelf-life of the packaged product and thereby aid the production facility in selecting product for shipment in order to reduce spoilage (e.g., shipping product from inventory based upon shortest remaining estimated shelf life).
A variety of instruments and methods are known for withdrawing gaseous samples from CAP/MAP, most of which involve sealed perforation of the packaging with a hollow needle. In order to prevent the tester from accidentally sticking themselves with the needle during the testing procedure, the devices commonly employ some type of a safety system which prevents the tester from directly accessing the needle (e.g., packaging to be tested must be placed within an enclosed chamber with the access door closed before the needle can be extended from within a protective sheathing towards the packaging). While effective for preventing accidental sticking of the tester, such systems are expensive, cumbersome to operate and difficult to transport.
Accordingly, a substantial need exists for an inexpensive and portable instrument which can quickly, easily and safely perforate packaging for purposes of withdrawing unadulterated gaseous content from the packaging.